The Pre-hike Breakfast

Mom and I at the Riverwood Inn breakfast (Photo by Donna Jean)

Saturday morning.  The alarm went off at 5:30am.  I took my shower and got dressed for the big hike.  I packed my backpack and went downstairs for breakfast and met all the other hikers.  Well, it wasn't quite that simple.  I spent a good 20-30 minutes trying to decide which shirts to wear for the hike.  I had never done this before.  I didn't know what to wear.  I couldn't decide when I was still in Texas packing my suitcase either so I brought everything I bought....EVERYTHING.  My suitcase weighed a ton.  I had about 5 of everything I needed for a hike and I only had one hike to do...maybe 2 if plans worked out, but certainly not 5.  Plus I brought some running clothes because I thought MAYBE I would do some running while on vacation...yeah right.  Then I had to pack a couple nice things in case I ate at a nice restaurant or something.  Then 3-4 pairs of shoes for different purposes, just in case.  So I pulled all my shirts out and went back and forth trying to decide which ones were best to wear.  Long sleeves or short sleeves?  Short sleeves with a long sleeved shirt over that but which short sleeve?  Which long sleeve?  I brought too many.  I can't decide.  Ugh!  Now I'm running out of time to finish getting ready.  I still have to dry my hair, straighten it, put a little bit of makeup on.  On the one hand, I'm hiking so why bother with my hair and makeup but on the other hand, I'm about to meet all the other hikers for the first time and I don't want to look scary.  So a little makeup and quick fix of my hair.

Now the backpack.  Crap!  I have to choose clothes again.  Need an extra shirt packed...hmm, which one?  Here we go again.  Socks.  Need extra socks.  Undergarments.  Check.  Camera, phone, hand wipes, chapstick, handkerchief, hat, gloves, raincoat, fleece jacket, sunglasses, snacks, water.  Crap!  Water.  The water was suppose to go in the backpack first.  I don't even know how to set up the water pack.  I ran downstairs through the Riverwood Inn where I was staying...all the hikers were there and mingling while waiting for the breakfast to begin.  But I'm not ready.  I'm not ready to meet anyone and my backpack is not ready.  But I needed help.  So I find Jack Daley.  He's an experienced hiker.  He'll help me.  I find him off by himself...recognizing him only from his facebook pictures.  I quickly introduce myself and then ask him if he can show me how to use this water pack.  He explains it and I race back upstairs...never stopping to greet anyone else, just scurrying past to finish getting ready.  I knew if I stopped, I would never have time to finish getting packed and ready and I didn't want to be late.  Plus, my mom was in a bigger panic than I was so I was trying to help her get ready and stay calm at the same time as handling my own anxieties.  So I fill up my water pack, completely empty my backpack that I had packed in order to get the water pack inside and then repack everything.  It was a tight fit but I crammed it all in.  I helped mom finish her packing and then we both went downstairs for breakfast and to meet everyone.

Upon getting downstairs, the hostess of the breakfast said Tom was running a little late but would be there shortly.  Everyone stood around chatting with one another and several of the hikers were passing out gifts they brought for everyone.  How nice of them to do that.  I hadn't brought anything except a gift for Tom to add to a basket that all the hikers had put together for him and a gift for one of the hikers who was having a birthday that Tom had orchestrated beforehand. I felt a little guilty that I didn't bring a gift for everyone but on the other hand, where would I have put it?  My suitcase was bursting at the seams as it was!

My mom was still scurrying back and forth from her car to our room with last minute items she needed for the hike.  I knew she was in a panic so I was trying to help her when I could and trying to keep her calm while also trying to meet the other hikers that were gathered in the lobby.  It was stressful.  I felt distracted as I kept an eye on my mom and didn't feel at ease with the other hikers I was meeting.  It was awkward and uncomfortable for me...until I met Donna Jean.  I walked up to her and said "Donna Jean?"  She had a look of surprise on her face like she didn't think I would recognize her and then she said "Denise? Oh my God you are beautiful!"  What a greeting!  I normally don't handle compliments well and get embarrassed by them but the way she said it just made me feel comfortable and special.  It wasn't said to flatter me.  It's just what she thought.  I had been looking forward to meeting Donna Jean and she lived up to what I had envisioned....a genuine person with no pretenses.  I instantly liked her.  She was real.  We talked briefly and then I continued meeting the rest of the hikers around the room feeling much more at ease after meeting Donna Jean.  The group moved outside and shortly after that Tom arrived with the surprise hiker, Jen, that he had just invited on the hike a couple days before along with Atticus and Will, his canine friends.

Tom and Will (inserted here just because I love this photo)
(Photo by Laura)

Will was passed around from person to person, each having a chance to hold him.  I didn't hold him at all at the breakfast since I had time with him during the drive from Boston the day before.  I wanted everyone else to have as much time with him as possible since it would be their only chance with him.  I enjoyed watching the others hold him with big smiles on their faces.  I think out of everyone, Laura seemed the happiest to hold him.  She was the one who first posted his picture on the Following Atticus facebook page asking if anyone might be interested in adopting him.  She had then seen him at one of Tom's book signings a long time ago when he was still a bit frail and more weak than he is now.  I think it made her especially happy to see how well he looked now and how happy he was with his new family.

Laura Bachofner with Will (Photo by Jodi)

Atticus just meandered through the crowd checking things out in his quiet way while always keeping an eye on where Tom was.  Once seated for breakfast, Atticus laid at Tom's feet.  When Tom would get up to go talk to someone, Atticus would follow and stay by Tom's side.

Atticus hanging out during breakfast

During breakfast, Michael Boutin presented Tom with a walking stick that he had made and his older daughter, Saree, had helped also by carving a likeness of Atticus into the stick.  All the hikers names were listed on the stick as well.  It was truly beautiful.  The stick itself and the gesture of that special gift.  Michael explained how his father had started making these walking sticks and it was so touching to hear Michael's story that I think everyone in the room had tears in their eyes.

Michael Boutin and Libby with the walking stick
 they made for Tom (Photo by Michael)

Tom passed out gift bags to each hiker that included chocolates from the Bavarain Chocolate Haus, a White Mountains calendar, a baseball cap, a keychain and our gratitude hike t-shirts.  I think the opportunity to hike with Tom and Atticus was the only gift any of us expected and was the greatest gift we could've received but Tom being Tom went above that and for me personally, he went way beyond my expectations.

The Bavarian Chocolate Haus

After eating, we all went outside and grouped up for car pooling to the trail head.  And as luck would have it, I got to ride with Tom again, along with my mom.  Atticus and Will both rode on my lap this time and it was a rare moment for Atticus to be that close to Will.  Atticus handled it well although I'm not sure that he really liked it.  We made a stop at the Local Grocer to pick up our lunches for the hike and then dropped Will off at the vet's office to be watched by Rachael Kleidon while we hiked.

Heading to the trail head (Photo by Donna Jean)

Then we arrived at the trail head.

Everyone at the trailhead of South Moat Mountain